1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates generally to the field of minimally invasive surgery performed using electrosurgical techniques, and in particular, to a connection cable and method for connecting an electrosurgery generator to a robotic surgery system, enabling the electrosurgical generator to be controlled by a surgeon at the robotic master console.
2. Background of Related Art
Electrosurgery is a technique of using alternating current electrical signals, using a carrier frequency in the approximately 200 kHz-3.3 mHz range, in connection with surgical instruments, to cut or coagulate biologic tissue endogenically. This electrosurgical signal can be a sinusoidal waveform operating in a continuous mode at a 100% duty cycle, or pulse modulated at a duty cycle of less than 100%. Typically, electrosurgical signals are operated at 100% duty cycle for maximal cutting effect, and are pulse modulated at duty cycles ranging  from 50% to 25% for less aggressive cutting, also referred to as blending, or, at a substantially lower duty cycle of approximately 6%, for coagulating. The electrosurgical carrier signal can also be varied in intensity. The electrosurgical signal is applied to the patient via electrodes in either monopolar mode, or bipolar mode. In monopolar mode, the active electrode is the surgical instrument at the surgical site, and the return electrode is elsewhere on the patient, such that the electrosurgical signal passes through the patient's body from the surgical site to the return electrode. In bipolar mode, both the active and return electrodes are at the surgical site, effectuated by, for example, both tines of a pair of forceps, such that the electrosurgical signal passes through only the tissue that is held between the tines of the instrument. A surgeon's decision to use monopolar or bipolar mode electrosurgery is often based upon various factors, including for example the type of procedure to be performed, or whether the patient is fitted with a metallic prosthesis or cardiac pacemaker.
A surgeon performs robotic surgery by sitting at a robotic master console and viewing a three-dimensional virtual operative field, while manipulating controls that remotely control robotic arms mounted on a separate robotic surgical cart. The robotic arms hold surgical instruments that follow the surgeon's hand motions, and a stereoscopic video camera that transmits a three-dimensional view of the operative field to the surgeon. The three-dimensional imaging, the hand-like motions of the robotic instruments, and the ability to assist the surgeon through motion scaling and tremor reduction techniques facilitate advanced minimally-invasive  procedures that could not otherwise be performed using traditional endoscopic techniques.
When performing electrosurgery with manual (non-robotic) instruments, a surgeon can actuate an electrosurgery generator using hand switches located on the surgical instrument. For example, the surgeon can selectively apply a cutting waveform, a blending waveform or a coagulating waveform using the hand controls. However, this is not desirable or practical in the case of robotic surgery, because the surgical instruments are remotely controlled by a surgeon who is operating a robotic master console, which is located away from the patient.
The use of existing electrosurgery generators with robotic surgery systems without the need to modify or upgrade existing electrosurgery generators would be a great achievement in electrosurgery and may ultimately achieve interoperability with robotic surgery systems and minimize or eliminate training and certification requirements imposed on physicians and other medical facility staff arising from the deployment of such modified electrosurgery generators.